First Born #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Cover by Marc Silvestri (A), Stjepan Sejic (B)
Letters by Troy Peteri
Top Cow Productions
Cover price: $2.99; On-sale date: July 25, 2007

The stunning artwork in Top Cows’ new mini-series First Born had me saying “Whoa!” more times than Keanu Reeves trying to ride a bucking bronco.

First Born is a 3-issue summer blockbuster mini-series from Top Cow Productions, the Marc Silvestri offspring of Image Comics. First Born not only explores the pregnancy of former Witchblade bearer Sara Pezzini, but also fills us in on all the major players in the Top Cow Universe. Ron Marz pens a tale that involves The Darkness, aka Jackie Estacado, Cyberforce, Celestine, and The Angelus in the mystery surrounding Sara’s unborn child. Stjepan Sejic, no stranger to The Darkness and Witchblade, brings alive all these characters in awesome digitally painted art.

Patrick Gleason is one of the first on the scene of the devastation caused by the un-hosted body of Angelus flying throughout New York City. She is looking for a strong enough vessel to hold her power. Cyberforce just barely saves one of their own from becoming inhabited while the rest of The Angelus confront a confused Jackie Escatado about causing this situation in the first place. Angelus finally finds the perfect host body in a major Top Cow villain, which will mean very bad things for all involved in the very near future.

Hack/Slash #3
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Emily Stone
Colors by Courtney Via
Letters by Brian J. Crowley
Devil’s Due Publishing
Cover price: $3.50; On-sale date: July 18, 2007

Sex and drugs and rock & roll and a talking dog-thing and old gods and lesbian undertones and a certain oft velvet painted King make Hack/Slash one helluva hot ride.

It starts out with a tight close-up on a pair of 40 DD’s and just gets better from there. Devil’s Due Publishing’s high production value release, Hack/Slash takes a simple, solid, albeit weird, story by Tim Seeley and has a lot of irreverent fun with it. The artwork by Emily Stone is topnotch. Unlike most comics, the cover does not match the quality or style of the interior pages. It seems like they were going for a J. Scott Campbell style to attract readers with the cover, but that just may prove why J. Scott isn’t anywhere to be seen. The artwork has a sketchy feel to it, which I like. It may be computer inked. The colors by Courtney Via are simple and effective. Both add to the realism of the images. The lettering by Brian J. Crowley is very professional and really stands out with the drunken banter of an old groupie.

THE WHITE STRIPES
Icky Thump
Warner Bros / Wea

Generally, I don’t appreciate negative sexual references, but I make exception for The White Stripes latest release, Icky Thump. After two huge, must-have albums — Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan — Jack White is back with his slamming riffs and whimsical, yet subtly insightful lyrics on The White Stripes sixth album. His ex-wife, originally thought to be his sister, Meg White once again matches his strong chords with surprisingly powerful and unconventional slams of her own. (Surprising for such a sweet, red and white piece of ass.)

At the start of many songs on Icky Thump you get the feeling that you have heard a White Stripes song that sounds very similar to this, but you quickly forget that when the duo’s patented eclectic sound kicks in and has your mind wondering what may be coming next.